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The Upper East Side isn’t exactly office central of New York City (that would be Midtown—Central, East, or West—or the Financial District), but there’s no question that people who do work in the area need to duck out of the office every so often. While several of New York City’s other neighborhoods have many spaces and parks for the public to explore and enjoy, the Upper East Side has very few (not counting Central Park because that’s obviously a huge attraction).

Nevertheless, this is still the Upper East Side and the neighborhood makes sure its public spaces, as few as they may be, count.

While there are still a handful of neighborhoods north of 14th Street we have yet to cover, this week we finally make our way downtown to the East Village and the West Village. The former is the stomping grounds of students from Cooper Union, the New School, and NYU, while the latter is a quieter, family-friend neighborhood of confusing criss-crossing streets.

Aside from Washington Square Park and Tompkins Square Park, one may not expect to find outdoor spaces that are ideal for enjoying a lunch break, but the East and West Village have several verdant offerings for the public to enjoy.

Mostly known for being the center of the New York art world, Chelsea is also developing a reputation as the urban renewal center of the city. What it lacks in pocket parks and atriums, it makes up in beautifully transformed industrial spaces that are perfect for savoring your lunch while relaxing or catching up with friends.

Why would anyone rename Hell’s Kitchen, Clinton? Do people besides brokers actually use the name Clinton?

Moving on! In this third installment, we continue moving to the west side of Manhattan and pick spots in Hell’s Kitchen and Upper West Side that are great for enjoying lunch breaks and some personal time.

In this second installment of “Taking Your Lunch Break”, we shift our focus to public places west of Fifth Avenue in Midtown. While they may lack the striking green scenery of the spots featured in last week’s post, these spaces possess their own unique charm and, most importantly, allow you to take a respite from the office during the day.

There are so many things to dread during the work day: getting up, getting to work, responding to emails from certain people, interacting with certain people, the list goes on. Thankfully, lunch exists. Lunch is a wonderful opportunity to escape the stress of the office; unfortunately, it has become increasingly common for people to forgo leaving the office to take their breaks, choosing instead to stay in and eat lunch at their desks.

A little personal time can go a long way and leaving the office to take your lunch break is a great way to introduce some me time into your work day. To help you get started, each week we’re going to profile a different neighborhood and choose a handful of public spaces that are perfect for eating lunch, listening to music, reading a book, relaxing, and seeing art.